Hydraulic infeed unit



Nov. 20, 1956 J. LOECY, JR 2 HYDRAULIC INFEED UNIT Filed May 10, 1954 INVENTOR.

' M J. {aka 0 069/1) #TTOENEXS United States Patent HYDRAULIC INFEED UNIT Joseph Loecy, Jr., Euclid, Ohio Application May 10, 1954, Serial No. 428,727

8 Claims. (Cl. 744-815) This invention is for What may be termed an infeed unit that may be operated by means of hydraulic or other suitable fluid pressure.

This device may be used for effecting adjustment of various tools or other parts operatively connected thereto and the present improvement consists in an efficient means for predetermining the extent of such adjustment. This therefore constitutes the general object of my present invention.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a fluid-actuated piston means for effecting the movement of the tool or other part and to provide an adjustable auxiliary fluid-actuated piston means that may be set for determining in advance the extent of movement of the first piston means.

Another object is to provide such a device in which the auxiliary piston has means for setting the same preparatory to successive predetermined adjustments of the first piston.

Thus my present invention contemplates the preliminary setting of the limits of movement of the auxiliary fluid-actuated piston so as to determine the extents of successive movements of the main fluid-actuated piston to which the tool or other part is operatively connected, so as to thereby effect successive adjustments of the tool or other part to predetermined extents.

Whereas in the present illustration the adjustment of the tool or other part is of a rotary nature, it is to be understood that suitable connections may be provided for converting and transmitting such rotary movement into straight-line movement so that this same device may be .employed for producing an ultimate adjustment of the charatcer desired.

It will be observed that in the present disclosure there is provision for adjustment of the tool or other part in only one direction, which may be desirable in the case of a diamond turner for dressing a grinding wheel for instance, but it is possible that my present invention may be capable of more general adaptations in which the unidirectional feature is omitted.

A further object consists in providing means whereby the position of the tool or other part may be preliminarily set preparatory to the procedure as above briefly outlined, and may be later re-set when it is desired to repeat such procedure.

' Other objects will appear from the following description and claims when consideredtogether With the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my present improved device and shows also the manner in which four-way valves may be connected thereto for control of the hydraulic fluid in operation of the same;

" Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing in detail, although it is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is only illustrative and that there might be various'rnodifications thereof without de- Patented Nov. 20, 1956 parting from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth and claimed.

The casing 1 has the top plate 2 and the base plate 3 and the end plates 4 so as to provide a cylinder body within which the hydraulically operated parts are enclosed. The indexing shaft 5 extends vertically (Fig. 1) through the casing just referred to and is adapted to have connected at its lower enlarged end 5a the tool or other part that is to be adjusted. There is provided a sealing ring 5b between the shaft 5 and the base plate 3. Immediately surrounding the shaft 5 is the cylindrical clutch shaft 6 that extends through the top plate 2, with shouldered engagement therebeneath, but not through the base plate 3. There is a sealing ring 211 between the clutch shaft 6 and the top plate 2 and also at 50 between the indexing shaft 5 and the clutch shaft 6 near the upper end of the clutch shaft 6 and the shaft 5.

Mounted co-axially upon the indexing shaft 5 and the clutch shaft 6 is the micrometer dial cap 8 which has its index 8a adapted for rotatable operative relation to a companion scale upon the beveled edge portion of the top plate 2, the dial cap 8 being adapted to rest upon the top plate 2. The dial cap 8 has key connection 9 to the indexing shaft 5 and has a readily detachable connection with the clutch shaft 6, as for instance the cone-pointed set screw 10. Upon the upper projecting end of the indexing shaft 5 there is mounted the hand wheel 11, with handle 110, by means of the key 12. This hand wheel is positioned adjacent the dial cap 8 and the parts are secured in assembly by means of the nut 13 which is screwed onto the upper end of the indexing shaft 5 and has bearing engagement upon its Washer 13a which in turn has bearing engagement upon the hub of the hand wheel 11 and the shouldered upper end of the indexing shaft 5.

From the above it will be seen that by loosening the set screw 10, it is possible to turn the hand wheel 11 and the indexing shaft 5 independently of the clutch shaft 6 so as to effect initial setting of the tool or other part that is connected to the lower end 5a of the indexing shaft 5, and that the extent of such adjustment may be indicated by the micrometer dial 8 in conjunction with the companion scale upon the beveled edge portion of the top plate 2. Then, when the desired preliminary rotary adjustment of the shaft 5 and the tool or other part has been thus effected, the set screw 10 will be tightened preparatory to the main operation of this device, as will now be explained.

Enclosed within the casing or cylinder body 1 is the vertically reciprocatable piston 14 (as viewed in the present drawing) which has sealing ring engagement 14a and 1411 between the casing 1 and the clutch shaft 6, respectively. The piston 14 is adapted to have movement by means of hydraulic pressure applied alternately to the upper and lower ends thereof, this piston being of such form as to provide space for the application of such pressure both above and below the same and having its under side out out so as to accommodate other parts to be hereinafter referred to.

In order to convert the reciprocatory movement of the piston 14 into rotary movement and in order to transmit such rotary movement to the indexing shaft 5. in only one direction, I have here adopted a mechanism that is more fully described in my prior Patent No. 2,644,442, July 7, 1953, and that will be here referred to only briefly. Such means comprises a screw-mounted guide pin-15 that extends radially inwardly from the wall of the casing 1 and has engagement in an inclined groove 15a in the outersurface of the piston 14. A suitable sealing ring may be provided between the pin 15 and the casing 1. There may be as many of these pins 15 as desired andthegrooves 150 may be inclined at any desired angle.

The piston 14- may be provided also with any desired number of radially inwardly extending pins 16 for engagementat their inner ends in the grooves 16a, inclined at the desired angle, in the outer surfaceof the intermediateor auxiliary ring 17 that co-axially surrounds the lowerenlarged endrcportion of the clutch-. shaft: 6-and within the cut-out under-side of thepiston 1,4. The purpose of theauxiliary. ring17 and its pi'ns 16-is'to augment the effectof the pins 15 and, with this in mind, the direction of the grooves 17a may be. the reverse of that of the grooves 15a.

In my present form of disclosure, as above. indicated, it is contemplated that rotary adjustmentofthe-indexing shaft 5. and the toolor, other part connected thereto will be produced only upon movement of the piston 14 in one direction-so. that all of the rotary adjustments of the shaft will be in the same direction. For this purpose there is provided a means of oneeway clutch connection 18 between the inner surface of the auxiliary ring 17 and the clutch shaft 6, these parts being located within the cutout under-side of the piston 14 and being maintained in assembly by the retaining washer 19 and'the snap ring 20 in the clutchshaft 6. Briefly, with the arrangement as herein disclosed, turning movement of the shaft 5 will be effected by downward movement of the piston 14, as viewed in the present drawing, but not by its upward movement.

In the present illustration the piston 14 is shown in lowered position, the hydraulic pressure having been applied to the upper end of the piston 14 through the tube 2?. which has screw-threaded. connection provided in an opening through the. wall of the casing 1 and which has its other end connected to a four-way valve 22;. while the hydraulic pressure at the same time is relieved from the lower end of the piston 14 through the tube 23 which has one end provided with a screw-threaded connection through the casing wall 1 and is connected at its other end to the four-way valve 22. This valve may be set by means of the rotatable handle 22a so as to have the tube 21 in communication through the valve with the tube 24 from a suitable source of hydraulic or other fluid pressure while the tube 23 will have communication through the valve with the discharge tube 25. It is to be understood that the particular form of four-way valve here shown is only for the purpose of illustration and that any other suitable form of valve may be. employed at this point.

Upon changing the position of the valve 22 so as to reverse the How of fluid pressure therethrough and also through the tubes 21 and 23, the pressure may be applied to the lower end of the piston 14 and the pressure may be relieved from the upper end of the piston so as to move the piston. 14 upwardly, as viewed in the present drawing. I;

T 0 review briefly, it might be here noted that by virtue of the arrangement of the pins and grooves, the back and forth movement of the piston 14 will be converted into rotary movement thereof, and likewise. the auxiliary ring 17; and, by virtue of the one-way clutch mechanism 18, such turning movement of the ring 17 will be transmitted to the indexing shaft 5 and the tool or. other part during only one direction of such piston movement.

Now I will describe the adjustable means which may be set in advance in. order to. determine the extentof the effective movement of the piston 14 in the performance of its function as just described. This meansconsists of a transversely or horizontally movable piston 26, as here. illustrated, that is located within the casing or cylinder body 1 and extends across the line of movement. ofthe vertically disposed main piston 14 and that is adapted to be moved by application of hydraulic or other fluid pressure alternately to the ends thereof through the tubes 27 and 28, respectively. Thesetubes have screw-thread means .of connection provided in the wall of the easing 1 and are connected at their other ends to the fourway valve 29 which has the handle 29a for adjustment of the same, the handle 29a and the core of the valve of course being rotatable, as will be understood. In one position of this valve, the source of hydraulic pressure will be connected through the tube 30 and the ports of the valve with the tube 27 and to the one end of the piston 26, while at the same time the hydraulic pressure from the other end of the piston 26 is discharged out through the tube 28, through the valve 29 and to the discharge tube 31. The extent ofmovement of the transverse piston 26 may be determined by setting the adjustable screwthreaded' bolts 32 and'33 whichextend through the end plates 4 and have lock nuts 32a and 33a, respectively. These bolts are provided also with caps 34 and 35, respectively. The purpose of these bolts 32 and 33 is to determine in advance the extent of right and left adjustment of the transverse auxiliary piston 26 and hence the extent of successive movements of the vertical main piston 14, as will now be more fully explained.

The sides 26a of the transverse piston 26 havetheir lower edges formed with inclined or cam surfaces 26b and this auxiliary transverse piston 26 has a shoe 36 which surrounds the clutch shaft 6 and extends up through the longitudinal slot or opening 26c between the side portions 26a of the transverse piston 26, this shoe having upper opposite inclined surface portions 36a for transverse sliding engagement of the corresponding surface portions 26b of the transverse piston thereupon. The transverse piston 26 has its end'portions of completely cylindrical form and they are provided with sealing rings, as indicated in the present drawing, for sealing engagement within the transverse piston chamber therefor within the cylinder body 1. The shoe 36 has its lower portion of completely circular form and has upwardly extending portions 36b: with opposite flat sides 360 for operative engagement within the inner fiat surfaces of the side portions 26a. of the transverse piston 26. These upwardly extending portions of the shoe 36 have their inner surfaces of curved form soas to be adapted forsliding movement upon the clutchshaft 6. The lower circular portion of the shoe. 36 has a flat under-surface that is adapted for engagement by the thrust bearing 37 which has its lower flat surface in engagement with the upper surface of the verticalpiston 14. As the auxiliary piston 26 is adjusted transversely, the position of the shoe 36 may' be accordingly changed vertically along the clutch shaft 6 so as to permit a longer or shorter stroke for the piston 14.

Assuming that a tool or other part, to be rotated, is connected to the lower end of the shaft 5, freeing of the set screw 10 will permit the shaft 5 and the tool tobe rotated independently of the other mechanism to the desired position preparatory to initiation of the rotary adjustments. thereof in the manner to be now explained. The extent of such adjustment of the shaft 5 may be indicated by the micrometer scale 8a and the companion scale on the beveled surface 2. Having turned the shaft 5 and the tool or other part carried thereby to the desired preliminary position, the set screw 10 will first be tightened. was to thereby provide operative connection between the.clutch shaft 6 and the. indexing shaft 5. This means that, withthe set screw 10 in tightened position, the adjustable movement of the clutch shaft 6 will be transmitted: to the indexing shaft Sand the tool or other part connectedthereto.

With this device it is possible to give the shaft 5 and the tool successive turning adjustments of. the'same degree and of different degrees and this may be accomplished by first setting the bolts 32 and 33 accordingly. The position of the bolts 32 and 33 will determine the position of the. transverse auxiliary piston 26, upon application of hydraulic pressure. thereto, and the position of the transverse piston 26 will determine the extent of movement of the vertical main piston 14 which in turn has its straight-line movement converted into turning movement for the shafit and the tool or other part connected thereto.

Let us assume that, in the present illustration, the transverse piston 26 has been forced by the hydraulic pressure through the four-way valve 29 against the bolt 32 and that then upon application of hydraulic pressure through valve 22 to the upper end of the piston 14, it has moved down through the permitted length of stroke so as to effect a corresponding turning movement of the shaft 5 and its tool or other part connected thereto. It is to be understood of course that the length of stroke of the vertical main piston 14, as determined by the position of the transverse piston 26, will in turn determine the extent of turning movement of the shaft 5 and the tool which will always be turned in only one direction by virtue of the one-way clutch mechanism 18 herein provided. Then, if it be desired to produce a further turning movement of the shaft 5 of the same degree as before, this may be done by manipulation of the valve 22 so as to return the vertical main piston 14 to raised position while the auxiliary piston 26 is in the same position against the bolt 32, and then by movement of the piston 14 down to the same extent as before since it is still permitted the same length of stroke as before. This may be repeated as often as desired. If, however, it be desired to have the second adjustment of the shaft 5 and the tool connected thereto of a dilferent degree from that of its first adjustment, the transverse piston 26 may be moved to the right as viewed in the present illustration, by reversing the position of the valve 29 so as to force the piston 26 towards the right and into engagement with the adjustment bolt 33, whereby the cam surface of the transverse piston 26 will then permit a shorter length of stroke of the vertical main piston 14 downwardly and hence a less degree of turning movement of the shaft 5 and the tool or other part carried thereby. For instance, it might be desirable in some cases to first turn the shaft 5 and the tool to a certain extent and to then turn it to a less extent in addition to the first turning movement of the same; or it might be desirable to reverse this order of the relative extents of movements of the shaft 5 and the tool or other part that is connected thereto.

Whenever desired, the micrometer shaft 5 maybe freed from the clutch shaft 6 by loosening the set screw so as to permit the shaft 5 and the tool or other part connected thereto to be returned to its original position, whereupon the above procedure may be repeated; and the bolts 32 and 33 may continue to occupy the same positions as in the first adjustment or their positions may be changed according to the adjustments desired for the shaft 5 and the tool or other part connected thereto.

Experience has shown that when the attendant is depended upon to make the required adjustment of the tool or other part by hand, there is of course always the human element of carelessness and the consequent danger of making the wrong adjustment. This is illustrated for instance in connection with a diamond dressing device for a grinder in which there is the danger of wasting the diamond and the additional cost incident thereto. However, with my present device in which the extent of the infeed is set in advance, the danger of such improper adjustment is eliminated.

The present device is of a unitary form and may be readily embodied in various organizations. Further practical advantages in addition to those which should be apparent from the present disclosure, may readily suggest themselves to those who are familiar with the art to which this invention relates.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a cylinder body, a piston adapted for straight-line movement within said cylinder body, means of operative connection to one end of said piston for a part to be moved thereby, an auxiliary piston adapted for straight-line movement to different predetermined positions of adjustment within said cylinder body and transversely of the axis of said first-named piston and having an inclined portion adapted for correspondingly predetermined positions of adjustment for operative engagement by the other end of said first-named piston for determining the length of stroke of said firstnamed piston, and fluid means adapted for application to said pistons for effecting actuation of said pistons.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 hereof and in which there is included adjustable means for determining the extent of movement of said auxiliary piston so as to thereby determine the length of stroke of said first-named piston.

3. A device as recited in claim 1 hereof and in which there is included independently adjustable means for determining the extents of movement of said auxiliary piston in its two directions so as to thereby determine the 'lengths of the successive strokes of said first-named piston.

4. In a device of the class described, a cylinder body, a piston adapted for straight-line movement within said cylinder body, means for converting the straight-line movement of said piston into rotary movement thereof and for transmitting such rotary movement to a part adapted to be operatively connected to one end of said piston, an auxiliary piston adapted for straight-line movement to different predetermined positions of adjustment within said cylinder body and transversely of the axis of said first-named piston and having an inclined portion adapted for correspondingly predetermined positions of adjustment in operative relation to the other end of said first-named piston for determining the length of stroke of said first-named piston, and fluid means for effecting actuation of said pistons.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 hereof and in which the rotary movement of said first-named piston is exclusively one-way.

6. A device as recited in claim 4 hereof and in which said converting and transmitting means includes an indexing shaft to which the part to be operated thereby is detachably connected, and a micrometer means provided upon said indexing shaft for rotation therewith for preliminary positioning of said indexing shaft and the part connected thereto.

7. A device as recited in claim 4 hereof and in which said auxiliary piston has a longitudinal opening in which is positioned a shoe having a companion inclined portion in engagement with the inclined portion of said auxiliary piston and having operative bearing engagement with the adjacent end of said first-named piston.

8. A device as recited in claim 4 hereof and in which said converting and transmitting means includes an indexing shaft to which the part to be operated thereby is detachably connected, a micrometer means provided upon said indexing shaft for rotation therewith for preliminary positioning of said indexing shaft and the part connected thereto, and in which said auxiliary piston has a longitudinal opening through which extends said indexing shaft with a shoe upon said shaft and in slid-able relation within the opening of said transverse piston, and said shoe having a companion inclined portion in engagement with the inclined portion of said auxiliary piston and having operative bearing engagement with the adjacent end of said first-named piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,047 Norin Apr. 25, 1933 2,345,581 Caldwell Apr. 4, 1944 2,486,244 Balsiger Oct. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 268,499 Germany Dec. 19, 1912 541,802 Great Britain Dec. 11, 1941 

